Re: Which Fuyu Hiro do I have, assistance please

[stevieb1]

Hi All

 

I have a Katana with the mei Geishu No Ju Fuji Wara Fuyu Hiro but am at a loss as to find which Fuyuhiro this is, if anyone out there can help I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks for looking/helping me in my quest.

Stevieb

 

[J Reid]

Couldn't find anything other than rated wazamono online and that there was more than one smith named Geishu Fuyuhiro. I did, however, find a link to a sword that looks like it was made by the same smith with nbthk attribution. Although no photo of the attribution is present I'm sure the seller could fork it up if asked... http://www.japanesesword.net/FUJIWARA_F ... 9-8223.htm

[J Reid]

Might help pinpoint a time frame for comparison..

[hxv]

Steve,

 

Here is a sword on ebay probably by the same smith (if the ebay sword is not a gimei). You might drop the seller an email to see if he has any clue.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wakizashi-with- ... 3ccc62f655

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

There are several smiths signing that way, and oshisgata are scarce, it is very difficult to say which generation and if it is gimei or not.

[stevieb1]

Hi All

Thanks for your helpful responses.

I'm afraid the signatures on both the Katana and Wakisashi you kindly put forward were different from eachother and different from my own but thanks for taking the trouble to respond.

The search continues.

Best regards

Stevieb1

[J Reid]

Stevie,

The blade I gave you a link to is signed "geishu no ju fujiwara fuyuhiro" with nbthk papers authenticating it. Not all smiths signing fuyuhiro signed using this exact title. This means that most likely, by comparison, yours is gimei. So the next step is to erase this smith and mei from your mind and attempt to recognize age, and school using sugata, and Nakago patina colour for period ID. Use the characteristics of the blade to decipher tradition, school, and maybe maker.

[stevieb1]

Hi Josh

Thanks for taking the trouble to respond, after looking at your link again there are only a very few differences between the advertised sword and my own, the length shape, grain and hamon are almost exactly the same the difference is in the characters on the mei for example the far left stroke of Hiro is not joined as in the linked sword and the character Shu is more sweeping apart from that they are very similar.I am almost certain it is a Shinto blade but the nakago has been cleaned up by a former owner.

Thanks again.

Stevieb

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Not all smiths signing fuyuhiro signed using this exact title

 

Do you have a reference saying that ?

[J Reid]

Jacques, I do not. I have found virtually nothing on this smith. I was just saying that not all smiths signing fuyuhiro, nessasarily signed in this manner.

This is proven by even just one mei sample that is different. Nihontoclub.com will list off numerous different signatures. From what I have gathered though there were several smiths signing "geishu no ju fujiwara fuyuhiro" until kansei. The most prominent being 6th gen working in keicho. His features are mokume with suguba. Judging Stevie's blade here I'd say someone was trying to pass it off as such. Does anyone have an oshigata of 6th gen fuyuhiro for comparison?

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

I do not. I have found virtually nothing on this smith.

 

 

And that leads you saying the sword is almost gimei ?

[J Reid]

In comparison to all other examples of a smith signing in this manner- so far, yes. What have you got to bring to the table Jacques?

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

I repeat that i already said above : There are several smiths signing that way, and oshigata are scarce, it is very difficult to say which generation and if it is gimei or not.

 

You cannot say a blade gimei without knowing the generation and in absence of several points of reference. Only one oshigata is far to be enough.

[J Reid]

I completely agree with what you are saying Jacques. I must clarify though- I am not saying this sword is definitely gimei. In my opinion, I am saying this sword is most likely gimei.. I am basing this opinion from what I have found (so far). This looks like a 6th gen knock off to me. That's all. I do not have enough sources to verify 100%.

 

We will only be able to help Stevie here in furthering this discussion with more examples to compare to. Personally, I think he should just forget the mei and concentrate on the blade itself.

[sohei]

The JSSUS website has a few listings for Geishu Fuyuhiro oshigata; Comptons's Cat #2, page 140, Nihon Toko Jiten Shinto-hen page 355, Japanese swords of the Boston Museum page 105. thanks, Mike

[stevieb1]

Thanks again to Jacques and Josh its good to know I am not alone in my uncertainties regarding this katana , also a big thank you to Mike but I'm afraid I am not in possesion of any of the mentioned books and cannot even find extracts from them online.

Another small snippet I found was that the Fuyuhiro of Aki (Geishu) also had the title of Wakasa No Kami

As Josh said it would be very useful if anyone out there does have one or more oshigata of 'Geishu Noju Fujiwara Fuyuhiro' .

Domo arigato gozaimashita.

Stevieb